Prometric to Introduce “More Affordable” IT Certification to Market

Prometric is venturing into new territory with the launch of its own certification: Cyber Security Essentials. The company that has long been known for delivering IT certification exams is now creating them.

Prometric, a market-leading company in test development and delivery, is set to launch a new, "more affordable" IT certification, Cyber Security Essentials.

Cyber Security Essentials was developed by Prometric in collaboration with senior IT engineers and subject matter experts who themselves hold IT credentials — such as CISSP, CISA and CEH — and work in Cyber Security, Network Security, Digital Forensics, Computer Hacking Forensic Investigation and Ethical Hacking.

"Cyber Security Essentials provides business and IT professionals a more affordable certification option, created by experts who are practicing the most current cyber security methods in the field. It shows potential employers that they have the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding to be a valuable asset to any company, organization or government agency," said Stephen Williams, Prometric’s Senior Vice President of Test Development Solutions.

The exam has 100 multiple choice, single response questions. Passing scores are 180 or higher on a 300-point scale. Candidates have 180 minutes to complete the exam, without breaks.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports more than 300,000 jobs in fields related to cyber security, including Information Security Analysts, Web Developers and Computer Network Architects. Median pay is more than $75,000. Prometric’s new cyber security certification is designed to “expand your career options” in the IT industry, the company said.

The introduction of a new IT certification follows another move by the company to broaden its presence in the IT market in recent months. Prometric last year announced it had attained CMMI Level 2 designation, which is a leading standard for software development, project management, quality assurance and risk management.